Teachers work diligently to create and sustain a community of engaged learners supporting one another.
The sense of community is premium among students in any academic institution as it creates a space that allows for critical thinking, productive failures and authentic discussions.
The strength of a community is the ability for its members to nurture, sustain, and build from within. An essential way of doing this is having Pod Days.
Pod Days, at its core, is a simple concept where students celebrate one another for just being a member of the classroom community.
Making Pod Days Work
Divide the class into pods of at least three—but ideally, it should be four to six. Each member of each pod then chooses one day of the semester as that his/her Pod Day.
It is important to note that no two members of any one pod should have the same day.
Each pod then uses a Google Doc table to record and document its various days for which all students have editing privileges.
Once dates have been selected, the pod’s are responsible for letting the teacher know the day before a celebration is scheduled.
The teacher is charged with the responsibility of adjusting the curriculum accordingly and also making the celebration time sacred.
On the day of the celebration, the pod celebrates one of their own because it’s their day, and it is worthy to celebrate being a member of the class community.
From Compulsory to Voluntary
Pod Days is given as an actual assignment with a not so hefty participation value during the first semester.
The guidelines are challenging yet simple and achievable for students. Pod members must come prepared with their celebration.
Students must understand that it is a group assignment with a group grade and as such the failure of one person to meet the requirements affects the entire pod.
For the first few celebrations, the pressure of grades and points is what pushes the students, but the creativity and fun of the celebration soon grows into an intrinsic motivator. For the second semester, the class decides whether or not to continue Pod Days.
Here’s the catch, if Pod Days continue, it is no longer described as an assignment and no longer has point value. It’s solely because the class decides to continue the tradition.
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